Rally in Ottawa against CSIS

On January 31st, Adil Charkaoui - arrested under a so-called "security certificate" in May 2003 in Montreal - was in the Supreme Court for a second time, this time challenging the legality of the destruction of evidence in his file by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) at the Supreme Court.

The case exposed the bias in CSIS investigations and its use of hearsay, rumours, unproven information from foreign spy agencies, and information obtained under torture to substantiate its suspicions based on profiling.

On the basis of such flimsy - and secret - information, immigrants can and have been refused entry to Canada, kept in legal limbo for decades ("security delayed"), put under surveillance, held under house arrest, imprisoned, deported, and even handed over to torture.

If it passes, Bill C-3, the "new" security certificate law, will continue to allow the government to use such information to justify indefinite detention, house arrest and deportation to torture. In other words, C-3 will provide legal cover for CSIS to continue such activities with impunity.

The Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui called a rally outside the Supreme Court hearing to denounce the actions of CSIS and its role in the criminalization, racial profiling and harassment of immigrants and targeted communities, to demand an end to CSIS impunity, and to demand the abolition of security certificates.

More information: www.adilinfo.org.